Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.djvu/83

54 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES away by a flood, Daniel Blizzard being carried down with it and rescued with great difficulty near the old stone house. The company until then had declared eleven dividends, but it was not till 1863 that another was declared. After the destruction oi the bridge the company made a contract with Chester Evans and David N. Kownover to rebuild it. Evans disposed of his share in the contract, and his partner completed it.

The second bridge stood the storms and floods for many seasons, until 1875, when it too was swept away by the terrific impact of the Catawissa bridge, which was borne down upon it by a tremendous flood on St. Patrick's day of that year. The following year the bridge was rebuilt, H. F. Hawke & Co. doing the stone work, and the Smith Iron Bridge Company, of Ohio, the framework and superstructure. This was also a toll bridge and the toll keepers at different dates were: Daniel Hoffman. Rudolph Sechler, E. Mellon, Isaiah S. Thornton and Joseph Hunter. The bridge was a fourth of a mile in length, with a covered footway on each side, shut entirely off from the central roadway.

The officers of the company in 1886 were: A.J. Frick, president; J. C. Grove, secretary and treasurer; W. H. Magill, A. J. Frick, Isaac X. Grier, Wilson Melter, G. M. Shoop, B. R. Gearhart, Amos Vastine, managers.

This bridge was replaced in 1904 by a steel structure of truss construction, by the State and county authorities of Montour and Northumberland, and was made a free bridge by order of court. Henry R. Leonard was the engineer for the State, and the contractors were the King Bridge Company, of Cleveland, Ohio.

CATAWISSA

The necessity for a bridge across the river at Catawissa induced citizens of that town to petition the Legislature as early as i8i6 to authorize the opening of subscription books for that purpose. Although some stock was subscribed for, the project languished for twelve years. Then the near completion of the North Branch canal caused renewed interest and an appropriation of $5,000 was obtained from the State. Subscriptions were obtained with more ease and a committee, consisting of George Taylor. Jacob Alter, Philip Rebsome, George Keim, John Rebsome, George Getz, Henry Foster, John C. Appelman, Samuel Brooke, Benjamin Beaver, Peter Schmick, George H. Willets, Stacy Margerum, John Barton, William McKelvey, reorganized the company on a firm financial basis and erected a bridge at a cost of $26,000. It was opened for travel Jan. 15, 1833.

The location was changed from that first selected, at the mouth of Fishing creek, to the site of the present bridge. This bridge suffered several times from freshets and ice. In 1846 five spans were destroyed, but were rebuilt the following year. In 1875 the entire superstructure was swept away, and a truss bridge was built to replace it the same year. All of these bridges were operated on the toll plan.

When proceedings were started for a free county bridge at Bloomsburg, the stockholders of the Catawissa toll bridge became fearful that their property would be depreciated thereby. and so they and other citizens filed a petition in court in December, >892, asking the appointment of viewers to report on the expediency of making the Catawissa bridge a free county bridge. H. H. Hulme, J. W. Hoffman, White Snyder, Joseph Sponenberg, A. K. Smith and P. Hippensteel were appointed viewers, and filed their report in September, 1893, in favor of the proposition, fixing the price to be paid by the county at $34,000. On the same day the grand jury approved the re¬ port. Exceptions were filed, and after a hearing and numerous delays the court ordered the bridge made free of tolls on Nov. 9, 1893. The same day the commissioners approved of this action, and tolls ceased at 2:30 p. m. on Friday. Nov. 11, 1893.

In September, 1896, the bridge was lifted off the piers from end to end and thrown over into the river by a windstorm. The commissioners, acting under the law of 1895, providing that the State shall rebuild county bridges that are destroyed by storm or fire, took the proper legal steps to have the State replace the bridge. The contract for an iron and steel bridge was let to the Penn Bridge Company, for $124,900. It was completed and accepted, and used until March 9, 1904, when the ice flood carried away two spans. Again the State rebuilt it. putting up an entirely new structure. much better than the first one. This was opened for travel in May, 1908. During the intervals when these bridges were building the county maintained a free ferry at this point.

BLOOMSBURG

On Aug. 23, 1892. a petition was presented to the court by citizens asking for a free county